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Author to show trains to children

FOR THE AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Since trains are not the main source of transportation in West Texas today, children may not know how vital they were to the area after the Civil War.

With commercial airlines, cruise ships and sports cars around now, kids do not see much of the railroad. But, they can learn about the locomotives as they listen to a tale called “A Train Story” July 27-29 at three libraries in Lubbock.

The author, Dolores Mosser, a Texas Tech graduate, said the book was inspired by a favorite pastime of her and her son when they lived in Slaton in 1985.

“We would go sit at the station and watch trains,” she said. “One day, we saw a Ringling Brothers train come in. That was the inspiration; I thought it be a neat book.”

Mosser said, growing up, she never saw trains in her hometown, so this experience was special to her.

“When you live in Slaton, it’s really unique because the trains stop there and it’s a crew-changing place,” she said. “There were lots of trains coming and going and stopping. You saw them all the time in Slaton.”

Erica Handley, children’s librarian at Mahon Library, 1306 9th St., said the event will take place at Mahon, as well as Patterson Branch Library, 1836 Parkway Drive, and Groves Branch Library, 5520 19th St.

She said the event is free; participants just need to pick up tickets when the library opens to secure their spots in the program.

She said the program is not only angled toward pre-school and elementary age children, but also toward train lovers.

“It’s a train story that depicts a day when you follow the train and where it goes,” Handley said. “It’s a really cute book.”

Mosser said in addition to reading the tale, she will talk to the children about writing and publishing a book. For “A Train Story,” it was a 25-year process, from the time she saw the circus train and was inspired to write a poem, to the time she held a finished copy of the children’s book in her hands, Mosser said.

She said there will also be a fun activity at the event to go with the book.

Handley said it is important for kids to learn about how the railroad developed the area they live in today. She said the program will also help them learn to read and write.

“Listening to a story — for younger children especially — helps them learn to read and enforces vocabulary,” Handley said. “Lots of kids are interested in writing their own books and this shows them it’s possible to write and get published. It’s a fun program.”

Mosser described the times of passenger travel by train as a “golden era” and said it is important for children to understand how vital the railroad was in the region.

“All kids love trains. All grown ups love counting cars, looking at the graffiti and wondering where it’s going,” she said. “It’s such a magical thing to do.”